AUTOR is a story imagined and built by passionate people, who inspire through creativity, vision and courage. We want you to discover one of the #peopleofAUTOR and let them enchant you with their story and their creations. Meet them at AUTOR Fair, Bucharest.

Xiangyin Shi was born and raised in Hangzhou, China. She is a jeweler and an educator. She received a B.A. in accessories and is now pursuing an M.F.A. in jewelry at SCAD. Xiangyin research interests focus on technology, digital culture and its relationship with young adults. She uses sterling silver with alternative materials to make playful jewelry, which triggers communication between people and devices, helping the outside world to connect with the wearer’s inner world.

The participation in AUTOR implies a rigorous selection process, a collection dedicated to the event and a lot of work. What can you tell us about the collection with which you participate in the AUTOR fair?

My collection focuses on technology, digital culture and its relationship with young adults. I use sterling silver with alternative materials including plastic, wood, resin, found objects and electronic components to make playful jewelry. I believe jewelry can act as a communication device to bridge the tangible and intangible, virtual and real. My collection triggers communication between people and devices, helping the outside world to connect with the wearer’s inner world. Further, it also encourages people to make their own noise, find their true selves, and embrace their human nature.

What does it mean for you to be present at AUTOR?

AUTOR is my first exhibition in the Europe, it is very nice to present my work for a wider range of audiences and it gives me a great opportunity to learn from other people.

The concept of this year’s fair is “Beauty never sleeps“. What does beauty mean to you and how this concept influence your artistic creation?

I think beauty is something that brightens the world and cheers people up in their daily lives. As my research interests focus on digital culture, I use jewelry to bridge the virtual and real, bringing the beauty of digital world into the real world.

Nowadays, attention spans are getting shorter day by day. How does contemporary jewelry reflect today’s society?

In today’s society, contemporary jewelry is a window for self-expression as well as a mirror for self-discovery. It engages the maker and the wearer’s social behavior, attitudes and actions, critically reflecting and reshaping people’s lives.

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Description of the collection:

This series of brooches celebrates the digital world in a funny but ironic way by creating three virtual friends for protection, communication, and encouragement. The project “friends” not only aims to make people laugh, but also critically questions the emptiness in people’s souls as well as this beautiful but sad world.